Gen. Dennis Via, commander of Army Materiel Command. AMC is based at Redstone Arsenal. (The Huntsville Times/Bob Gathany)

Sequestration could result in 5,000 lost jobs at Army
Materiel Command facilities with an economic impact of more than $3.4 billion,
AMC Commander Gen. Dennis Via told attendees at the Association of the United
States Army Winter Symposium meeting today in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

In spite of the funding uncertainty, Via said the Redstone
Arsenal-based AMC will remain true to its mission.

"In spite of looming threats, the one thing we are
focused on is this - we will never let the warfighter down," Via said.
"AMC is trusted by soldiers, allies, and teammates. It took us many years
to gain, and we are not willing to lose that trust. If soldiers are preparing
to deploy, they will get the equipment and materiel they need to perform their
mission."

VIA said sequestration and funding limitations under the
continuing resolution will impact every AMC command with the exception of those
directly supporting combat operations.

"We are facing cancellations of depot maintenance as
directed by the Department of Defense, which creates second and third order
effects. When you cancel two quarters of work, that will exacerbate the
situation as we go down the road," Via said. Such delays, he said, can take
up to three years to overcome.

An Army report shows the Anniston Army Depot will lose $710
million due to the work cancellation.

Via said sequestration will stop the reset of 1,000 tactical
wheeled vehicles, 14,000 communication devices and 17,000 weapons in active and
guard units. Other impacts include a delay in equipment reset and readiness for
six Army divisions; work stoppages at some depots and arsenals; and a reduction
in purchase orders that could impact up to 3,000 companies in the U.S.

AMC's 74,000 civilian employees - about 96 percent of its
workforce - also face furloughs of up to 21 days this fiscal year.

The impact will be felt in the communities where AMC facilities
are located. The facilities return $1.83 for every $1 invested, Via said, and
its workers provide an invaluable service to the Army.

"Our employees there are second and third generation
artisans in many cases," Via said. "You cannot replicate the skill
sets they have developed over the past decades. Our depots and arsenals, and
the employees who work there, are national treasures for the Army, the
Department of Defense and the nation."